How to Spend the New Year
by JadeRent
Summary: 2009 is rolling in, and Ichigo spends it with those who matter most...minus one very precious person.


_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. This fic was inspired by the only New Years song I know that's not Auld Lang Syne, and that's Death Cab for Cutie's "The New Year" I love that song, and I think I'd suggest listening to it while reading this...but the song and the fic don't have too much in common Lol! Happy New Years!  
_

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_How to Spend the New Year_

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A smoky puff of warm air floated listlessly on the night's dark horizon as Ichigo heaved a breathy sigh. He was sitting calmly on the grassy bank of the river, away from the ruckus of his family and friends enjoying the New Years festivities. It wasn't as cold as the usual late December night, but the chill from the damp soil still soaked through his cargo jeans and made him shiver. Ichigo pulled his jacket a little tighter. Perhaps if he'd been running around like the others he'd warm up a bit, but he was quite content watching his dad chase the twins while his friends laughed on at the spectacle.

A wisp of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he let his gaze drift away from those he cared for and settle on the iridescent silver of the moon in the sky. The orb stood out lustrously despite the competition of rising fireworks and bright stars that surrounded it. It was a pearl on black velvet and Ichigo unconsciously leaned forward as if he could pluck it from space and bring it into his arms.

The sound of slapping sandals drew his stare away from the blanket of stars above and settled on Yuzu quickly approaching him. Even in the dark, her face was obviously pink from the excitement of staying up so late and possibly a little sake Isshin had slipped her.

"Oni-chan!" She beamed and held out a pair of sparklers towards her older brother. "Here. You and Rukia-chan can light these before the countdown. I remember last year she loved playing with them."

Ichigo gave her a half-hearted smirk before declining. "Nah, thanks Yuzu, but Rukia's not coming this year."

Her rosy glow seemed to dull at his news. "Aww." Yuzu whined in disappointment. "Why not?"

"_So you can't stay one more night?" His question and the frustration it was laced with was muffled by her firm yet silky shoulder. Rukia tilted her head to the side just enough to smooth her cheek against his forehead as he hugged her from behind. The bed creaked softly when she turned around in his lap to face him._

"_No, the squad really needs me." Rukia read the scowl on Ichigo's face and saw the discontent he tried, but failed to hide. With an airy sigh she squirmed a bit closer to his chest, wrapped her arms loosely on top of his shoulders and idly tickled the hairs on the back of his neck. She stared at the muted orange of his hair and how the tones changed when a cloud obscured the moonlight shining down on them. "Ukitake-taicho would give me the night off if he could, in fact I'm sure he went out of his way to try, but there's just no going around it. I won't neglect my duties for selfish reasons." _

"Work." He answered Yuzu simply.

The disappointment transformed into selfless sympathy and Yuzu gifted her brother with a generous smile. "That's so sad Oni-chan. I'm sorry you two can't spend New Years together, but maybe next year right?"

Ichigo granted her a slip of a smile back and reached out to ruffle her hair, his large hand fondling her head easily until she squealed and tried to pull away. "Ichigo!" Yuzu's face wrinkled softly in annoyance before she grabbed his forearm and attempted to pull him up to join the others on the crowding shore.

"_What am I supposed to tell everyone?" Ichigo asked in stead of arguing with her like he was usually inclined to do. There was no distracting Rukia when her pride was on the line and he knew better than to waste the rare moment they were sharing. She let him tease the hem of her tank top and run his fingers delicately up her spine. "They're gonna give me hard time when I have to explain that you had to work." He complained lightly._

_She gave him a small smirk and rose her eyebrow coyly. "That's not my problem though is it."_

"She can't come?!" Keigo's voice rose higher than the parade of plastic horns and clanking noisemakers that were escalating as the New Year inched ever closer.

Everyone was huddled together on the bank for the best spot to view the midnight display. Ichigo was flanked by Yuzu, her tiny fingers squeezing his hand reassuringly, and by Chad securely holding a tipsy Karin on his broad shoulders.

"Maybe one day when you get a job you'll understand Kuchiki-san's dilemma." Ishida offered as a jab.

Ichigo threw the stuffy Quincy a smirk, but reflective lenses only gleamed back. Ishida was too busy attempting to look bored and out of place, even while Orihime held tightly onto his arm proudly donning the scarf he'd made her for Christmas earlier that week.

Her hair clips twinkled prettily as she turned towards Ichigo, her face showcasing her endless enthusiasm. "There's still a few minutes for Kuchiki-san to arrive." She said hopefully. "And New Years is the holiday of miracles and time travel!"

Tatsuki leaned forward and waved a mitten-clad hand in front of her friends dazzled face. "Orihime I think you're confusing reality with daydreams again."

Ichigo ignored both the twittering complaints and bouts of optimism until he caught a look of uncharacteristic sobriety cross his father's face. Even under the googly New Years headband that glittered in his black hair, Isshin's eyes sought his son with concern. Ichigo gave the old man a definitive nod.

_Ichigo rolled his eyes and tried to shift into a sitting position, but Rukia used what little weight she had to stifle him._

"_New Years eve is just one holiday." She reasoned soundly, her voice as soothing as the patterns she traced through his hair massaging his scalp. "We've spent more than a few of them together. Surely one without me won't bring about the end of the world."_

"It's just New Years." Ichigo's voice carried the firm and stubborn quality that elicited no further discussion and satisfied eyes retracted their focus from him to the countdown.

"_It's bad luck you know." he teased softly. "They say the way you spend New Years eve is how you spend the rest of the year."_

_Rukia's silken laugh rippled against his chest and through the surrounding bedroom. Her hair feathered his face when she lined her warm lips against his ear with a whisper. "Is that what you believe?"_

"But who am I, I mean er, who is Ichigo supposed to kiss at midnight?" Keigo whispered hurriedly in the dying seconds of the year.

"That's just a stupid tradition." Ichigo supplied skeptically.

"_Maybe I do." Ichigo replied; his voice deepening the longer her lips hovered over his skin until she abruptly pulled away. Rukia appraised him with fiercely azure eyes before breaking into an impish grin._

"_Alright then. I suppose there's no helping it." _

"It's starting!" Yuzu bounced up and down, pointing at the numbered spectacle that blazed high into the sky and boomed like thunder with each count.

"_10." Pale and nimble fingers slipped the first thin strap off her shoulder to fall flimsily on her arm. _

"**9!"**

_Their hearts hammered erratically, one in anticipation and the other in surprise at her own boldness. "8." The second strap fell and the sparse pajama top began to shift lower on Rukia's slight frame._

"**7!"**

"_6." Ichigo's shuddering whisper joined Rukia's in the count, quickly grabbing the ends of his shirt and pulling it up over his head in order to catch up._

"**5!"**

"_4." A pair of flannel pants hit the carpeted floor with a muffled thump, and soon a pile of strewn clothes slowly littered the room like flakes of snow on a winter night._

"**3!"**

"_2." Their breathy whispers were reduced to anxious pants and those pants were soon drowned out completely by the groaning mattress shifting under the weight of two bodies rushing towards each other in the last ticking second._

"**1!"**

**_Fireworks_**

A shout of, "Happy New Year!" rose like a hurricane's gale from everyone gathered by the icy channel. The frosty chill of December was discarded for summer-like warmth as people huddled close in affection and celebration with high hopes for new beginnings.

Ichigo was one of them. He clapped hands with Ishida, putting aside their rivalry on this yearly occasion only, and gave the rest of his friends slaps on the backs and the rare thumbs up. Yuzu yanked on his jacket and he hoisted her easily to his shoulders so she and Karin could share their glee and wave above the crowd.

Karin poked his head from her high perch with her diffused sparkler and smirked curiously as the explosions broke out behind her. "Happy New Year Ichi-nii?"

Ichigo let his smirk broaden into an honest smile. "Yeah Karin. It'll be a good year."

_"H…Happy New Years eve…Ichigo." Rukia panted in a haze of exhausted satisfaction. Her diminutive body was glistening with sweat and sprawled completely over his larger frame haphazardly. Ichigo couldn't see her face, but he tenderly squeezed the thigh strewn across his shoulder and tried to calm his frenzied heart._

_"Th…that should serve as a good standard for the new year…yes?"_

_Ichigo used the remains of his energy to shift on the mattress and catch the silly smirk on Rukia's face. He returned the foolish gaze and blew out a whoosh of air. "Yeah. That'll work. Happy New Year Rukia."

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_AN: I'd love to know what people think of this little New Years one-shot since I think it's a bit different from my other stories. Reviews would be greatly appreciated! Happy New Year to everyone! Let's hope 2009 kicks some serious ass!_

_Also...for those wondering about Indefinitely-I'm working on it! These holiday fics are my way of stretching my writing fingers since I haven't had any inspiration lately. They're NOT my way of moving on and ignoring my other story. Thanks so much to everyone who's been positive and supportive! It's really what keeps me going. *hug* _


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